Carbon pile armature assembly



NOV. 30, 1954 c, BATHGATE 2,695,940

CARBON FILE ARMATURE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 3, 1951 as l i j 7 INVENTOR.

04 PL 0. BA THGA TE KUTO'QAAEV United States Patent CARBON PILE ARMATUREASSEMBLY Carl 0. Bathgate, Rumson, N. J., assignor to Bendix AviationCorporation, Teterboro, N. J., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationOctober 3, 1951, Serial No. 249,523

8 Claims. (Cl. 201-51) The present invention relates to carbon pileregulators and more particularly to the armature assembly for a carbonpile regulator.

Carbon pile regulators have come into general use for such purposes ascontrolling the voltage, current and frequency of generators. Thesecarbon pile regulators operate on the principle of varying the pressureapplied to the carbon pile. One end of the pile is relatively fixed.Operatively associated with the other end to apply pressure on the pileis 'an armature carried by a diaphragm type spring which tends to urgethe armature towards the pile. An electromagnet, when energized, tendsto withdraw the armature from the pile against the bias of the diaphragmspring. For proper operation, it is necessary for the electromagneticforce acting upon the armature to match the spring characteristics asthe air gap varies. Heretofore in order to adjust the air gap it hasbeen necessary to disassemble the regulator, remove the armatureassembly, and make the necessary armature adjustment by removing oradding shims between the armature and diaphragm. At best this is alengthy operation and is not satisfactory from the productionstandpoint.

In the present invention, an armature assembly is provided that can bereadily adjusted without removing the whole armature assembly. Theadjustment is made from the outside of the regulator and the onlydisassembly required is the removal of the core of the electromagnet. ww

It is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable armatureassembly for a carbon pile regulator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an proved carbon pileregulator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an armature assembly for acarbon pile regulator which may be adjusted in the regulator.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for adjustingthe air gap in a carbon pile regulator.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodimentof the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the electromagnet and armaturesection of a carbon pile regulator illustrating one embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the armature of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electromagnet andarmature section of a carbon pile regulator illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is an end view of the armature of Figure 3.

In the drawing similar parts in the various figures have been assignedthe same reference numerals.

Referring now to Figure 1, a carbon pile regulator is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 5, only that portion of the regulator housingthe electromagnet and armature is illustrated. It is understood,however, that it will include the carbon pile, housing and cooling fins.The regulator 5 has a bottom plate 6 on which is mounted a housing 7.The plate 6 and housing 7 are formed of a suitable ferromagneticmaterial. A core 8 of similar ferromagnetic material is screw threadedto the plate 6 and pro ects into an electromagnet winding 9 positionedwithin the housing 7 between the plate 6 and a flange 10 extendinginward and forming the pole face for the electromagnet assembly.

2,695,940 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 "ice An armature assembly 11 ispositioned in the housing 7 and has a diaphragm type spring 12 seated onan annular member 13. An armature plate 14 is positioned on the side ofthe spring 12 adjacent to the core 8. At the opposite side of the spring12 there is positioned a clamping plate 15 and the spring 12 is clampedbetween the plates 14 and 15 by suitable fastening screws 16. Acup-shaped member 17 adapted to hold a contact member 18 is mounted onthe plate 15. An insulating member 19 insulates the member 17 from theplate 15. A suitable terminal 17A extends from the member 17. Thecontact member 18 is adapted to engage a carbon pile (not shown).

The armature plate 14 has a fixed member 20 and a movable member 21. Thefixed member 20 has a hublike projection 22 having external threadsadapted to extend through and engage mating threads on the member 21.The hub 22 has a threaded counterbore portion 23 having sloping walls 24around the mouth thereof. The hub 22 has a plurality of longitudinalslits 25 (see Figure 2). A tapered screw 26 cooperates with the slopingwalls 24 to lock the members 20 and 21 together. A pair of holes 27 areprovided in the member 21 to receive a wrench or tool.

In operation, in order to adjust the air gap between the member 21 andthe pole piece 10, the core 8 is removed and a tool inserted to loosenthe screw 26. After the screw 26 is loosened, the member 21 is rotatedby means of a spanner wrench or the like, inserted in the holes 27, tomove the member 21 towards or away from the member 10 as desired. Uponthe desired adjustment being made, the screw 26 is tightened to lock themembers 20 and 21 together. A tool may be inserted to cooperate with theslots 25 to prevent the armature assgmbly from turning when theadjustment is being ma e.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 wherein another embodiment of theinvention is illustrated. An armature assembly is indicated generally bythe numeral 30 and has a diaphragm type spring 12 seated on the member10 of the housing 7. Inasmuch as the housing 7, core 8 and electromagnet9 are similar to the respective parts in Figure 1, a detail descriptionof those parts will be omitted.

An armature plate 31 is positioned on the side of the spring 12 adjacentthe core 8. On the opposite side of the spring 12, a clamping plate 32is positioned so that the spring 12 is clamped between the plates 31 and32 by suitable fastening screws 33. A cup-shaped member 17 adapted tohold a contact member 18 is mounted on the plate 32 by screws 34. Aninsulating member 35 insulates the member 17 from the plate 32.

The armature plate 31 comprises a ring-like section 36 secured by thescrews 33 and a center section 37. The sections 36 and 37 are adapted tobe screw threaded together. The section 37 has an opening 38 and a pairof holes 39 adapted to receive a spanner wrench or tool (not shown). Aspring Washer 40 is positioned between the member 37 and the spring 12to lock the member 37 against movement by vibration or the like. Thespring 12 has an opening 41 in alignment with the opening 38. The plate32 has a slot 42 opposite the openings adapted to receive a screw driveror similar tool (not shown) whereby the armature assembly 30 can bepregented from turning while an adjustment is being ma e.

In operation in order to adjust the air gap between the armature plate31 and the pole piece 10, the core 8 is removed and the armatureassembly is prevented from turning by a screw driver or other tool beinginserted in the slot 42 and held. A spanner wrench or other suitabletool is inserted in the holes and the section 37 rotated in the desireddirection relative to the ring 36. This moves the section 37 towards oraway, depending upon the direction rotated, from the pole piece 10 thuschanging the air gap and the curve of the electromagnet. The member 37should extend beyond the opening in the pole piece 10 for properoperation.

Although only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, various changes in the form and relative arrangement of theparts, which will now appear to those skilled in the art, may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a regulator of the class including a carbon pile, a solenoidhaving an essentially non-linear magnetic force characteristic, saidsolenoid including a pole piece and an armature having an air gaptherebetween, a removable core, said armature having an adjustablemember, means for holding said armature to permit actuation of saidadjustable means for varying said air gap, said last means being inregister with said removable core.

2. In an electric regulator including a variable resistance element, anelectromagnet having an essentially non-linear magnetic forcecharacteristic and including a fixed pole piece, a winding, a removablecore, and an armature, spring means supported by said pole piece andcarrying said armature, said spring being adapted to oppose the magneticforce of said electromagnet, said armature having a part fixedlyattached to said spring and another part screw-threaded to said fixedpart and adapted for rotation and axial movement relative thereto, saidlast mentioned part having means in line with said movable core andaccessible for adjustment upon removal of said core whereby the magneticforce characteristic of said electromagnet may be changed withoutdisassembly of said regulator.

3. In an electric regulator including a variable resistance element, anarmature having means engaging one end of said element to apply pressurethereon, a spring carrying said armature, an electromagnet supportingsaid spring, a core included as a part of said electromagnet and beingreadily removable therefrom, said armature having a part fixedlyattached to said spring and another part screwthreaded to said firstpart for rotation with and axial movement relative thereto, saidscrew-threaded part having openings therein opposite said core andadapted to receive a tool insertable upon the removal of said corewhereby said screw-threaded part may be rotated relative to said fixedpart.

4. For use in a regulator having a variable resistance element and anelectromagnet for controlling said element, an armature assemblycomprising a spring member, a backing plate, a fixed armature plate,means for clamping said spring between said backing plate and said fixedarmature plate, said fixed armature plate having a threaded hubextending therefrom, a movable armature plate having a threaded portionadapted to cooperate with said threaded hub for screw-threadedlymounting said movable plate to said fixed plate, and

locking means for holding said members relative to each other.

5. For use in a regulator having a variable resistance element and anelectromagnet, an armature assembly comprising a spring member, anarmature backing plate, an armature ring member, means for clamping saidspring member between said backing plate and said ring member, and anadjustable armature member screw-threaded to said ring member forrotation and axial movement relative thereto.

6. For use in a carbon pile regulator having an electromagnet associatedtherewith, an armature assembly for said electromagnet comprising aspring member, a first armature member, means for securing said firstarmature member to said spring, a second armature member, meansincluding a threaded connection for mounting said second armature memberto said first armature member to permit adjustment of said second memberrelative to said first member and locking means for maintaining saidmembers in a predetermined relationship.

7. In an electric regulator including a variable resistanee element, anelectromagnet having an essentially non-linear magnetic forcecharacteristic and including a fixed pole piece having a cylindricalopening therein, a Winding disposed in magnetic relationship with saidpole piece, a removable core extending through said winding andconcentric with the opening in said pole piece, an armature, springmeans supported by said pole piece and carrying said armature, saidspring being adapted to oppose the magnetic force of said electromagnet,said armature having a first part fixedly attached to said spring andsecond part screw threaded to said first part and adapted for rotationand axial movement relative thereto, said second part being concentricwith said cylindrical opening and extending over a portion of said polepiece, and means accessible through said cylindrical opening forrotating said second part relative to said first part.

-8. A method of adjusting the air gap of an electromagnet in a carbonpile regulator having an armature assembly in which one section of thearmature is fixedly attached to the regulator spring and another sectionis screw threadedly attached to said fixed section, comprising removingthe core from said electromagnet, inserting a tool in the opening leftby the removal of said core to hold said spring and fixed section Whiierotating said screw threaded portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,268,718 Newton Jan. 6, 1942 2,453,065 I Creveling Nov. 2,1948

